Radicati Group projects 670 instant messaging users by 2008. Don’t rush to invest in that custom IM development company yet, as up to 88% are predicted to use the freely available tools and networks for their daily communication. The market itself, however, will fetch a nice $413, but only in 2008. Globally only 20% of the corporate users think of IM as a valid communication tool for doing business. By 2008 this will quadruple to 80%, where it turns out that the United States is already ahead of the world – 85% of Americans consider instant messenger to be a viable business tool today.
Why do companies decide on instant messaging? 44% encourage electronic inter-office communication, 33% do it to decrease phone charges, 11% think it improves employees’ productivity and another 11% just want a complement to e-mail and telephone.